1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suture extender and needle guard apparatus which protects a surgeon or seamstress from accidental punctures resulting from the use of a needle, and the method for using the needle guard apparatus, the needle guard apparatus being particularly useful in surgical applications.
2. Background Art
Surgical needles are commonly used for the stitching of body tissue during medical surgery, the needles being usually discarded after single use. The size and shape of the specific surgical needle design depends upon the particular body tissue involved and the purpose for the surgery.
Accidental needle punctures have been identified as a serious health hazard. All surgical needles are eventually disposed of after being use. If the patient has a communicable or infectious disease, the surgical needle is contaminated. Hence, the surgical needle must be carefully removed and disposed of to prevent contamination of attendant medical personnel.
The problem of disposing of contaminated surgical needles is particularly acute in treating patients afflicted with highly infectious diseases, such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or hepatitis. For diseases such as AIDS, where the transmission mechanism is poorly understood, it is critical that all precautions be taken to protect personnel who come in contact with the afflicted patient.
Unfortunately, it is often not known which patients have been exposed to highly communicable diseases. Medical personnel are apprehensive of contamination, and by necessity assume that all patients are carriers. Accordingly, if the risk of contamination is not minimized, the quality of medical treatment available to all patients is compromised, while these highly communicable diseases spread through the community.
The disposal of contaminated surgical needles also poses a major health problem not only for hospitals, but for entire communities. When such supplies are merely discarded with other waste materials from the hospital, there is a risk that a contaminated surgical needle may subsequently puncture someone who comes in contact therewith, such as hospital cleaning personnel, garbage workers, or people at the municipal dump where the garbage is eventually received and destroyed.
What is needed is an apparatus, and a method for using the apparatus which will minimize the risk of puncture to surgeons and attendant medical personnel after the surgical needle has been pulled through the body tissue. The apparatus will preferably permanently retain the surgical needle therein, to protect other personnel who subsequently handle the discarded surgical needle.